Artist&#39;s kit and easel support



April 16, 1968 R v, OHN ON 3,378,322

ARTIST'S KIT AND EASEL SUPPORT iled Nov. 14, 1966 INVENTOR. P/c/mxep K Jfl/vsa/v W gag,

firm/avers United States Patent 3,378,322 ARTISTS KIT AND EASEL SUPPORT Richard V. Johnson, 440 W. San Antonio Drive, Long Beach, Calif. 90807 Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 594,225 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-231) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An artistss kit including an easel which can be detachably mounted on a box either in a painting position or in a carrying position. The box includes a cover underlying the easel in its carrying position, and pivotable to an inclined position for engagement of its free end with the upper extremity of the easel to prop the easel in its painting position.

The present invention relates to an artists kit, and particularly to a portable kit having a detachable easel. The usual artists kit includes a collapsible easel and a box for carrying the collapsed easel. The canvas mounted on the easel must be removed in order to store the easel in .the box, thereby adding to the number of items which the artists must carry whenever he wishes to change his work situs.

The main object of this invention is to provide an artists kit which includes a box incorporating a stand for securely supporting an easel in an operative or painting position, and wherein the easel i-s demounta-ble from the box, with the canvas or drawing board attached thereto, and remountable on the box in a storage position for transport with the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide an easel stand that is quickly pivotable from an open, supporting position to a closed position in which it forms a cover for the kit box to safeguard the artists supplies stored in the box.

A further object of the invention is to provide an artists kit having a box for holding artists supplies and which includes side walls having inclined upper edges for supporting a drawing board and canvas in a slightly inclined position for watercolor work.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the kit, the easel being shown in its carrying position, with the cover or stand pivoted shut;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the kit;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the kit, with the easel demounted; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the kit with the easel shown erected.

Referring to the drawings, the artists kit of the present invention includes a rectangular box 11 for mounting an elongated easel 13 which supports a canvas 15. The lower extremity of the easel 13 includes a lateral member or base19 whose opposite ends carry pegs 17 engageable, respectively, with a hole 21 provided in the midportion of one side 23 of the box 11, and with an oppositely located slot 25 provided in the opposite box side 26. When the pegs 17 are located in the hole 21 and slot 25, the easel 13 is in its erected, operative position for use in oil paintings as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1, the easel 13 is shown removed from its erected position and placed in its carrying position. In this latter position the easel is supported by location of the pegs 17 in a pair of auxiliary notches 29, provided 3,378,322. Patented Apr. 16, 1968 in the box sides 23 and 26 adjacent the rear end 30 of the box 11.

The box 11 is of the knock-down type. For this reason sides 23 and 26 include elongated vertical slots 31 to accept the front and rear ends 32 and 30, respectively, and the partition 41. The partition 41 and back end 30 likewise include vertical slots 33 for accepting the ends of the partition 39. In addition, the sides 23 and 26 and the ends 30 and 32 include horizontal slots 35 for accepting ends and edges of the box bottom 37. The sides 23 and 26 also include short horizontal slots 36 for accepting the ends of the slats 42 and 43. The front and rear ends 30 and 32 include horizontal slots 40 for accepting respective sides of the slats 42 and 43.

The sides 23 and 26 are maintained in position against the ends 30 and 32, bottom 37, partition 41, and slats 42 and 43 by bolts 38 that extend across the box 11 and through the sides 23 and 26.

The longitudinal and transverse partitions 3-9 and 41, form compartments for storage of various artists paraphernalia.

The cover mount or slat 43 is secured across the rear end of the carton 11 and pivotally mounts a cover 45 by means of hinges 47. The cover 45 overlies the compartments defined by the partitions 39 and 41, and also serves as a brace or stand for the easel 13 in its erected, operative position. A latch 49 is provided on the free end of the cover 45 for latching the cover to the slat 42.

The sides 23 and 26 project above the cover 45 and terminate in inclined upper edges 52 for supporting a drawing board for water coloring work. In this position the slight degree of inclination tends to prevent undesirable running of the water colors.

A handle 53 is provided on the end 32 of the box 11 for carrying the kit.

The easel 13 includes telescoping upper and lower members 57 and 59, respectively, which include grooves 61 on their obverse edges. The upper extermity of the lower member 59 includes a pair of clips 62 which are each characterized by a flange.

The pair of flanges constitute confronting runners that slidably engage the grooves 61 of the upper member 57 to guide and locate the member 57 during its extension and retraction relative to the lower member 59.

A support block 63 is secured to the lower end of the upper member 57 by an eye bolt 65, which is screwed through the upper member 57 and into abutment with the adjacent face of the lower member 59. A wing nut 67 is screwed onto the eye bolts to tighten the support block 63 in position.

A pair of clips 69 similar to the clips 62 are attached to the lower end of the upper member 57 and the flanges thereof engage the grooves 61 of the lower member 59. Thus the upper member 57 is supported slidably from the lower member 59 and can be secured in a selected position of elevation by tightening the bolt 65 abuttingly against the adjacent surface of the lower member 59.

An upper support block 70 is carried by a bolt 71 which is slidably disposed through a vertically elongated groove 73 provided in the upper extremity of the upper member 57. Movement of the support block 70 relative to the lower support block 63 provides adjustment for accommodating different height canvasses 15 between them. Both blocks 63 and 70 include steps 75 for accepting various thicknesses of canvas 15.

The back face of the lower member 59 includes transverse, ratchet-type notches 77 which receive the forward edge of the cover 45 when the cover is pivoted upwardly, to act as a brace or stand for the easel 13.

A tension spring 79 is attached at one end by a nut and bolt assembly 80 to the cover 45 and the other end is attachable to a screw 81 extending from the side of easel 3 13. Thus, when the spring 79 is fastened to the easel 13, the cover is maintained in secure engagement with the selected notch 77, and the peg 17 in the slot 25 is urged tightly against the closed end of the notch, thus providing a sturdy support for the easel 13.

The slots 29 for supporting the easel 13 in its carrying position, as shown in FIG. 1, curve inwardly and downwardly. The pegs 17 are maintained in the innermost ends of the slots 29 during carriage of the easel in the position shown in FIG. 1. More particularly, the box 11 includes a bolt 83 extending upwardly from the front end 32, and the easel 13 includes a screw eye 85 having an opening for accepting the bolt to latch the upper end of the easel 13 to the box 11. Thus, when it is desired to mount the easel in its carrying position, the pegs 17 are merely slipped into the slots 29 and the screw eye 85 simultaneously slipped over the bolt 83. If desi ed, a nut could be screwed onto the end of the bolt 83 to retain the easel in position. The easel 13 and supported canvas 15 will then ride securely on the upper face of the box 11. Since the closed ends of the slots 29 extend downwardly and the bolt 83 extends vertically when the kit is in the portage position the easel 13 is restrained against horizontal movement relative to the box 11.

It will be clear that it is desirable to support the easel 13 in carrying position with the pegs 17 in the slots 29 and the screw eye 85 engaged with the bolt 83 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It will also be clear, however, that the screw eye 85 could be eliminated and that the easel 13 could be satisfactorily supported from the slots 29. This could be accomplished by merely moving the handle 53 to the end 30 and forming the slots 29 angled inwardly and toward the end 32. The box 11 would then be carried with the end 30 up and the telescoping members 57 and 59 would depend from the base 19.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that the kit of this invention provides a convenient and inexpensive means for supporting an easel in either an inclined position or a substantially upright position for painting; and in a carrying position for transportation. Also the box itself can support a drawing board in either a slightly inclined position or in a perfectly flat position for water color paint- The box 11 is preferably made of material sufficiently heavy to provide a stable base for supporting the canvas 15 in painting position during windy conditions. In the painting position the canvas is held at a desirable level and inclination best suited for painting without fatigue.

The complete kit and mounted canvas can be carried in one hand, leaving the other hand free to carry a chair, umbrella or the like.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form, it is to be under- 4 stood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. An artists kit comprising:

an elongated easel;

a box having a cover pivotably mounted at one extremity for movement between an open position affording access to the contents of said box and a closed position closing said box, said box including first mounting means detachably cooperative with the lower extremity of said easel to mount said easel in a substantially upright painting position, the extremity of said cover opposite said one extremity thereof being engageable upon said easel in said open position of said cover to prop said easel in said painting position, said box further including second mounting means detachably cooperative with at least one extremity of said easel to mount said easel in a carrying position wherein said easel is located exteriorly of said box in overlying relation to said cover in said closed position thereof.

2. An artists kit as set forth in claim 1 and including:

means biasing said extremity of said cover opposite said one extremity into engagement with said easel in said painting position.

3. An artists kits as set forth in claim 1 and including a first latching element on the upper extremity of said easel;

and wherein said box includes a second latching element cooperatively engageable with said first latching element to secure said upper extremity of said easel to said box in said carrying position.

4. An artists kit as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said box includes a pair of walls on opposite sides of said cover having upper edges located outwardly of said cover in said closed position thereof, said upper edges being inclined relative to the lower edges of said pair of walls whereby said upper edges are adapted to support a water coloring board in an inclined position when said lower edges are oriented in a substantially horizontal plane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,503,807 4/1950 Dolas 3 l223l 2,586,524 2/ 1952 Dussardier 3 l223l 2,897,032 7/ 1959 Kremer 3 l223l 3,168,363 2/1965 Monsour 312-23l 3,202,471 8/1965 Wilson 3l2-231 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

BOBBY R. GAY, Examiner. 

